Switching device for all railways.



W. P. BATH. SWITCHING DEVICE FOR ALL RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1905.

908,379. Patented Dec. 29, 1908. i F E; i H I. g; x '3 wifneooza All Railways; and I do hereby declare the PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM F. BATH, OF MURRAY, IDAHO.

SWITCHING DEVICE FOR ALL RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Application filed September 19, 1906. Serial No. 279,187.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .VVI-LLIAM F. BATH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Murray, in the county of Shoshone and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Switching Devices for following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' v My present invention relates to certain switch from the moving train Without the aid of a'switch man or other hel In operating my switch have brought into play a novel mechanism which securely locks the switch irithe desired position and guards against it being accidentally displaced by the jarring of the movingtrain.

have also provided means whereby an automatic signal is exhibited to the engineer showing that the switch has been operated as desired. This latter function manifestly guards against accidents that would occur by the slightest break in the connecting parts, as the signal is not given until the switch has been either opened or closed. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following specification and the novel features therc'of will be particularly set forth in the appended claims. I am enabled to accomplish the objects of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a lan view of the track and switch of error inary railway showing the immediate connection between the switch and the operating rod. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the locking mechanism employed in connection with the switch. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the method of operating the switch and connectedsignals by means of electricity. 'Fig. 4 is an elevation of the mechanism employed in the locomotive for conducting an electric current to the switch mechanism. Fig. 5 is a diagram on a. larger bolt 12 to on age the bar 3 and again scale than Fig. 2 showing more in detail the electric circuits and connections.

Referring now to the above views by numeral 1 represents the rails of the main line while 2 indicates the movable rails of the switch.- The cross .bar .3 connecting the movable rails 2 is ivoted to a pitman rod 4 the opposite end 0 which is connected to the bell crank 5, the latter being connected to the pivoted lever.6 by means of the small pitman rod 7. This pivoted lever 6 is operated by means of the long traveling rod 8 which is operated by means of any one of the motive powers above numerated. This rod 8 can be led along to any number of switches or its; motion transferred across the main line through the connecting rod or rods 9 Now it will be readily seen from the description so far gone into that movement of this rod 8 in either direction will operate the switch correspondingly.

Now in re ard to the locking mechanism forthe switc I have provided the pivoted member 10 which operates on the same pivot as thatof lever'6. The outer free end of the lever 6 is provided with a pin'which profects into a slot 11 in the member 10. ow assuming that this member 10 is connected to the travelingrod 8 it will be readily seen that the member 10 will have considerable independent play before the terminals of the slot 11 enga e the projectingI pin on the lever 6. This in ependent play utilizeto draw the bolt 12 from the switch bar 3 after which further movement of the rod 8 will operate the switch. This action of the bolt 12 is accomplished by forming the outer edge of the member '10 in the nature of a cam against which a small roller 13 on the pivoted lever 14 rolls; Now assuming that the arts are in the relative positions shown in i 2 it will be readily seen that as the r0 moved in the direction indicated by the arrow the roller 13 will be forced upward on to the highest place of the cam and in so doin draws the bolt 12 from the bar 3 after whic further movement of the rod 8 will open the switch- Now lost as the switch is sprung the roller 13 will drop into the depression at the opposite extremity of the cam thereby permitting the spring pressed ock it. Movement 0 the rod 8 in the opposite direc- ,tion will evidentl unlock the bar 3 and permit the switch lite direction.

eing thrown in the oppotrio switch (a).

lfi operates the rod- 8 which in turn manipu Now in regard to the method employed for o crating the rod 8, in Fig.3 I have shown an eectric motor A the shaft of which is threaded to a nut 15 the latter-being connectedte the traveling rod 8 by means of the pivoted lever 16. I have wired this motor A to two guide rails B and B in such a manner as to make it possible to operate the motor in either direction according as the current is taken from rail B or from rail B. Now assuming that the current is led from the loco- -motive to the roller 17 "it is evident that as this roller is operated b means of the lever 18 tocom'e incontact wlth-therail B the current therefrom will pass into the 'motor. and through the lever 16 toward the small else- This movement of the lever lates the switch as above described. Just as the lever '16 reaches the limit of its movement in that direction it forces the switch (a) open thereby breaking the current to the motor. But simultaneously witn this breaking of the current to the motor the small switch (d) is closed causing the current to 1 show in the light (a). This flashing of the light (0) indicates to the engineer that the switch has been operated as he desired. Now should it be desired to operate the switch in the oppositedirection the roller 17 is brought in contact with the guide rail B and the motor A operated in the mannerj ust,

described. Instead of bringing the current to operator the motor A from the .guide rails B and B I may employ wires arranged in any desired position. v

Referring especially toFig. 5 'in which I have shown more in detail the electric circuits and connections which are indicated in Fig. 2', 20 indicates the source of electrical energy which causes the operationof the switch-actuating motor A. This" source of energy may be a batteryon' the locomotive,

car or train, a d amo. on the same driven by steam from the ocomotive, or fromthe mechanism of the same, or from an axle of the train, or car, or such electrical energy may be derived in a'known manner from'an electric conductor. extending alon 1 the track, this last method being the pre erable one when my switching ap aratus is used with electric cars .or trains. trical-ener is connected by a conductor 21 with the shlftable contact or roller 17. Supposing the latter to be'in the position shown m Fig. 5, the hereinbefore described electric circuit for working the motor A will be through the rail or wire B and the conductor 22 to the stationary contact piece 23, thence.

to the movable contact 24 which forms a part I of'the switch a; thence by the conductor 25 and conductor 26 to the field coils 27 of the motor A; thence by the conductor 28 and conductor. 29 to the movable contact 30' which also forms a part of the switch a;

he said source 20 of electhence by the contact '31", which is stationary, and the conductor 32 leading therefrom, "to

are shown in full lines, from whichthe circuit continues'by the conductor'34, movable contact 35, of the switch a, stationary contact 36, and conductor 37 to the. ground at G. During such passage of the current the switch will be operated in one direction. When the the current and operation of the-device, the switch a will be closed until the pivoted lever 16 which operates the switch-mechanism has nearly com leted its movement, but the switch a, wil be thrown open and the current interru ted and the motor A stopped, as alto the completion of the movement of the switchthat is to say, at or shortly before the time when the 'switch has been completely thrown.

continuing, through the closed switch a, the switch a will be open. It is also manifest that instead of employing" the electric mechanismshownI may operate the rod 8 by der or by any other suitable motive power.

particu arly applicable for use on locomotives on any railway where switches are employed. Fig. 5 is intended to show the position of the parts assumed fust after the circuits have been closedthroug B and the switch or circuit closer a so as tomove rod 8 to the right, which will throw and hold the switch rails open in the osition shown in Fig. 1; the circuit throug circuit closer a being broken, so as to stop the operation of the motor, just after rod 8 has fully thrown the switch.

so as to-close the switch, the circuit is closed through B and a as described, whereupon motor 33 will actuate lever 16'and throw rod 8 to' the left untiljlever' 16 throws circuit closer a open, and closes-switch d; at which time circuit closer a will have been automatically closed and ready. for o eration to again throwthe switch open; an the righthand lightswitch will also be opened.

Having thusfully describedmy inventign,

switch is to be operated in the other, directhat during the first described movement of While the above described operation is still I am aware that it can be employed to operate switches of street railways or 1n fact Then if it be desired to throw rod 8 to the leftthe armature 33. of the motor and through the same in the direction of the arrows which ready (escribed at the proper time relative- A means. of compressed air, a hydraulic cylin- Although I have specified that the device is v what I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:.

1. In a switch operating mechanism the for actuating said member to cause the lever to open or close the switch, and devices operated by said movable member in its initial movement in either direction to cause said locking device. to release the bar before the switch is moved and to reengage the bar after the switch has been fully thrown substantially as described.

2. In a switch operating device, the combination of the main and switch rails, a bar connected with the switch rails, and locking devices for said bar; a movable member, and means operated by said member to cause said locking device to disengage said bar on the initial movement of said member in either direction, ,and to reengage the bar during theiinal movement of said member; with a lever pivoted beside and upon the fulcrum of said member and having a loose cow nection with one arm of the lever whereby said lever is actuated by said movable member after the locking device is released, con-' nections between the other arm of said lever and the said switch bar; and mechanism for shifting said movable member to throw the switch, substantially as described.

3. In a switch operating device the combination of the main and switch rails, a bar connected'to' said switch rails, a locking device adapted to engage said bar and lock the switch in open or closed position, an oscillating lever, connections between one end of said lever and the bar for throwing the latter, a movable member adjacent the free end of said lever and a loose connection between said member and the free end of said lever; means for operating said movable member; a lever having one end connected with said locking device, a cam on said member engaging the locking device operating'lever and adapted to cause the lockingdevice to release the switch bar before the switch is thrown and to reengage the switch bar after the switch is thrown.

4. In a switch operating mechanism thecombination of main and switch rails, a bar connected with the switch rails, an oscillating lever and connections for operating the switch bar, a locking device adapted to engage said bar to lock the switch in open or closed position; a cam member pivoted beside the lever and having a limitedswing relative thereto, a traveling bar and connertions for swinging said pivoted member to open or close the switch, and devices connected with the locking device and operated by the pivoted cam member inits initial movement in either direction to cause the locking device to release the bar and to reengage the same after the switch has been fully thrown, substantially as described.

5. In a switch operating device the combination of the main and switch rails, a bar connected to said switch rails, a boltadapted to engage said bar and lock the switch in open or closed position, an oscillating lever,

connections between one end of said lever and the bar for throwing the latter, a pivoted member adjacent the free end of said lever and ,a loose pin and slot connection between I said pivoted member and the free end of said lever, a traveling rod and connections for operatingsaid pivoted member, a lever having one end connected with said locking device, and a cam on said pivoted member engaging the latter leverv and adapted to cause the latter to release the switch bar before the switch is thrown and to rengage the switch bar after the switch is thrown.

6. In a railway switch controlling apparatus the combination of main and switch rails, a lever and connections for operating thrsvritch; an electric motor and mechanso ctuated therebp'for o aerating said lever to throw the switch in eit ier direction, electric circuit closers orswitches at opposite sides of said lever, electrical conductors parlcllel with the main line,electrical connections between the respective conductors and the respective closers, a source of" electrical energy, and means on the engine or car for directing current from the source of electrical energy to either of said conductors and thus through the connected circuit closers to the motor and drive its armature forward or backward, whereby the switch may be opened or closed, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a railway track switch, a switch operating device, a lever for operating said device, a motor and mechanism operated thereby for operating said lever in both directions; conductors parallel with the main line, electric circuit closers on opposite sides of said lever, electrical connections between saidclosers and the respective conelectric circuit 0 osers or switches on opposite sides of said lever, electrical connections between said closers and the respective conductors, and electrical connections between said closers and the motor; a source of elec trical energy, means on the car for transmitting currentfrom said source to either conductor so as to drive the motor in either di--- rection desired and thus open or close the switch; signals adjacent the track, electrical connections between said signals and con- .ductors, and electric switches in said signal circuits adapted to be closed by the said lever when the latter is shifted.

9. In a railway switch controlling apparatus the combination of main and switch rails, a movable member for operating the track switch. an electric motor and mechanism actuated thereby for operating said member to throw the switch in either direction, electric circuit closers or switches at op- .posite sides of said member, electrical conductors parallel with the main line, electrical connections between the respective conductors and the respective circuit closers, a source of electrical ener y; means mounted on the engine or car for irecting the current from the source of electrical energy to either of said conductors and thus through the connected circuit closers to the motor so as to drive the motor armature in either direction whereby the switch may be opened or closed, and means for breaking the circuit after the switch is thrown, substantially as described.

10. In combination with a railway switch,-

a switch operating device, a movable member for operating said device, a motor and connectlonsfor operating sald member, con-.

ductors arallel with the main line, electric circuit 0 osers or switches on opposite sides of said member, electrical connections between said closers and the respective conductors, and electrical connections-between said closers and the'motor, a source of electrical energy, means on the car for transmitting current from said source to either conductor so as to drive the motor in either direction desired and thus open or close the switch; electric signal circuits, and signal circuit switches on opposite sides of'saidmember adapted to be closed thereby, substantially as described.

11. In combination with main and switch rails, a switch operating device, a lever for operating said device, a motor and connections for operating said lever, conductors parallel with the main line, electric circuit closers or switches on opposite sides of said lever,

electrical connections between said closersand the respective conductors, electrical connectlons between said closers and the motor; a source of electrlcal energy, means on the car for transmitting current from said source.

to either conductor so as to drive the motor in either direction desired and thus 0 en or close the switch, said lever opening t 1e circuit closer and breaking the circuit after the switch is thrown; signalsradjacent the track, electrical connections between said signals and the conductors, and switches in the signal circuits and on opposite sides of said lever and adaptedto be closed by the said lever when the latter is shifted so that the signals will indicate the position of the switch..

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. BATH. Witnesses:

GEORGE PATTISON, ORPHA LE POOR. 

